May 16
by lightening816
Summary: Rowlf the Dog has always had a certain day of the year that always made him depressed. It was the day he lost his best friend. This story is rated PG for death. Songfic.


**This story has the lyrics to the "Miley Cyrus only" version of ong of her songs called "I Learned From You". **

**May 16**

**By: **lightening816

**Rated: **PG

**Genres: **Tragedy

**Synopsis: **Rowlf the Dog has always had a certain day of the year that always made him want to cry. It was the day he lost his best friend. This story is rated PG for death.

**MAY 16, 2008**

That horrible day has come by again. I hate it with all my heart. Every time this day comes by, I always want to just stay in my room and think of the happier times…before _it _happened. It's the eighteenth anniversary of something that tore me life to pieces. I almost gave up my career because of this!

Decades ago, I was greeted by a man who later on became a dear friend. His name was Jim Henson. After I met him, I met that frog of frogs, Kermit the Frog. He and I were partners. I remember what happened after that. After meeting these guys, I got into show business. I was a big star back then. I got a gig on The Jimmy Dean Show. That was a really wacky time in my life, but while I worked with Jimmy and Kermit, there was something I noticed. I noticed that every time I looked down, Jim was right there. I began to wonder why. Was he my bodyguard? Was there something that I missed? I didn't know. Eventually, I got used to having Jim around. He's my buddy. I seemed to understand him more than everyone else.

_**Sometimes I couldn't hear what  
you tried to tell me.  
I thought that I knew all I need to know.  
I didn't understand that, the doors you would open,  
Could take me to somewhere  
I wanted to go... **_

I can be strong for you now.  
You taught me how. 

In the seventies, I was apart of probably the most memorable gig of my life. It was called The Muppet Show. It was a program that lasted from 1976 to 1981. At first, we thought it was just gonna be another show, but then we realized that it got really popular so we decided to keep doing until one time when Kermit got us all together and said that the show was coming to an end. That kind of bummed us out, but we all knew that it had to stop sooner or later. It wasn't like Sesame Street…that program's been around for _years_.

Also in the very early eighties, we were working on the Great Muppet Caper. That was always my favorite of the movies we've done together mostly because Jim directed it. It's basically about Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo as reporters and there's the robbery, it's just a really great movie, and I wouldn't mind sitting down and watching it once in awhile. This wasn't our first movie though. Two years before, we made The Muppet Movie, which is basically about how the Muppets got started and it told the stories of what was basically going on in our lives before we went to Hollywood with Kermit. For example, before joining Kermit, I was the piano player at this restaurant I worked at with a waiter who, in the movie, is performed by Steve Martin. Kermit and I sing my favorite song "I Hope Something Better Comes Along". Afterwards, I joined him on his trip to Hollywood and met more friends on the way. When we finally got to Hollywood, we met the president of World Wide Studios, Lew Lord, and after crossing our fingers and praying in our heads, Lew Lord called for a contract which meant that we made it for real!! Then, we tried to make out movie but Gonzo, a friend I met on the way to Hollywood, crashed in to apart of the scenery, everything fell down, the Crazy Harry guy triggered an explosion into the roof, but as we all gazed into it, a rainbow appeared, and…I guess in the end, everything turned out alright (…thanks to the lovers, the dreamers, and you). That was a happy day.

After The Muppet Movie, we did a couple more years of The Muppet Show; we started making our next movie, The Great Muppet Caper known. That was my favorite movie, most likely because my buddy, Jim, directed it.

_**I Learned From You That I Do Not Crumble.  
I learned that strength is somethin' you choose.  
All of The Reasons,  
to Keep On Believin';  
there's No Question that's A Lesson  
I Learned From You...**_

After that, we made a special with John Denver. It was our second one with him. It was called "Rocky Mountain Holiday". Our first one with him was "A Christmas Together", which was, in my opinion, really cute.

After "The Muppets Take Manhattan", we all including Jim, helped put together other muppet related programs, like "Fraggle Rock", "Little Muppet Monsters", and, my personal favorite, "Muppet Babies" probably because a younger version of me was in it. My character was exactly what I looked like and how I acted when I was a puppy…those were the days.

After "Manhattan", we stopped making movies and started making specials. We made some home videos, then "A Celebration of 30 Years" which was celebrating the Muppets' 30th anniversary and then we made "A Muppet Family Christmas" (that was the time when I met this weird dog named Sprocket who only spoke in barks and woofs, and I can understand that. He was after all a dog…a canine brother). In 1989, I appeared twice in this show my buddy Jim hosted called "The Jim Henson Hour". I was a parody of Merlin the Magician. Then in the next episode I was in, I was also Merlin the Magician. In 1990, we did "The Muppets at Walt Disney World". I ended getting caught and thrown into the dog pound center, but it wasn't a total loss. I met some really interesting dogs and we sang a song together called "I'm Doggin' It". Everything seemed fine after that. Then, it happened……

In mid May 1990, I had heard the most disturbing news ever!! I thought everything was going just fine!! Why did it happen?? WHY? My friend, Jim…he died. When I received this news…my world collapsed.

I was so sure that Jim and I were going to be a pair forever. Maybe nothing lasts forever. Why did he have to go? I talked to Kermit about it and he tried to help me get through it (thank God for Kermit), but I was still upset deep down. Forever would've been nice, but I guess when it comes to being a duo, I guess that's just how it's gotta be. I mean, he knew everything about me, and I felt like I knew everything about him, so why did he have to go? He was always so nice to not only me but to us all!

_**You Know Where To Find All,  
My Hiding Places,  
There Are No Secrets  
from You I Can Keep.  
You Let Me Know How You Feel  
No Throwing Your Punches...  
I Never Knew That Kind of Honesty. **_

Back in the 60's, I remember Jim telling me that he and I were going to be around for a long time. Back then, I hadn't realized of the day that I was going to be alone.

I also remember back when he was alive, he would always complete what he had to do and always had fun with it. I admire him for that.

_**I'm Grateful for All of The Times...  
You Opened My Eyes.**_

Now after exactly eighteen years, I'm still missing my best friend. In fact after his death, I started hearing rumors that I was no longer going to be around. I was frustrated, and almost gave up me career, but then I decided to prove to the world that I am not gone by making cameos in the movies we made after that. It was the same thing for other muppets like me. I've met another friend named Bill Barretta. When Jim left, he helped me out of my depression. He's been a friend of mine ever since. Though this is true, I'm never gonna forget Jim. Without him, I don't even know what life would be like, and frankly, I don't want to imagine it.

_**I Learned From You That I Do Not Crumble**__**.  
I learned that strength is somethin' you choose.  
All of The Reasons,  
to Keep On Believin';  
there's No Question that's A Lesson  
I Learned From You...**_

_**You Helped Me to Stand On My Own, and I Thank You for That  
You Saved Me.  
You Made Me. **_

He'll always be apart of my career, even though I don't see him anymore. I still make appearances here and there, and I even made a big appearance in this web show on called "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony", episode two to be exact.

I love what I do but if I had the choice to still live this life or go back in time to live the life I used to know, I'd go back in time any day! That's how much I miss it. I'm not the only one who feels this way. Others who were close to Jim feel the same way, but I doubt that they have suffered as much as I have or as emotional as I am about it.

That's why I always sob and am always depressed on this day. Every year, I find an old recorded tape of an old special or an old movie and watch it thinking about how happy I was. On this day, I feel his presence and I even see him in my dreams. Too bad he is gone when I wake up.

_**And Now That I'm lookin' back**__**,  
I Can Say… **_

It's a good thing I still remember his words and everything he showed me. I would have been lost without him. Now I just want him back in my life. I want to hear him and see him. That will never happen, but I know for certain that as long as I play my piano, I'll always hear him. He's apart of me. Nothing can take that from me. Jim Henson taught me that.

_**I Learned From You That I Do Not Crumble.  
I learned that strength is somethin' you choose.  
All of The Reasons,  
to Keep On Believin';  
there's No Question that's A Lesson  
I Learned From You...**_

So I guess that's that. I just had a total recap of everything I cherish, including Jim. I'd be more than willing to die myself to see Jim with my eyes again. Though he's still here in my head, telling me something. He says "It's not over." When I first heard them say that, I believed him and told myself that it's not over...it can't be over...he wouldn't have wanted it that way. It's just like what Kermit said in one of our specials, "The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson": _"We'll be back with more muppet stuff because that's the way the boss would have wanted it."_ I still believe Jim, just as I did those many years ago.

Thanks for everything, Jim Henson.

_Woof_


End file.
